Duvauchelle wastewater treatment plant

The Duvauchelle wastewater scheme was constructed in 1988. Following minor upgrades in 1996 and 2002 and the addition of 44 new connections for the Ngaio Point subdivision, it now serves a community of about 250 permanent residents.

The Council manages the Duvauchelle wastewater treatment plant to ensure public and environmental health is protected, and the plant is currently in sound condition and performing satisfactorily.

Treatment

Wastewater receives primary and secondary treatment within the plant followed by a UV disinfection process before being discharged through a 1600 metre marine outfall. Sludge is removed regularly and transported to the Christchurch Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The harbour discharge consent

The main resource consent for Duvauchelle wastewater discharge to the harbour (CRC 102952) expires in 2023. As a condition of the consent, a community working party has been formed to provide community and tangata whenua input into the process of identification and selection of a long-term method of treatment and disposal of wastewater from the Duvauchelle Wastewater Treatment Plant.

The consent requires that the Council reports to the working party on the list of options for wastewater treatment and disposal no later than 31 October 2016, with a report of the preferred option for wastewater treatment and disposal, as identified by the working party, to be ready by end of October 2018.

A report on the proposed programme for implementation of the preferred option before the consent expires must be submitted to Environment Canterbury by the end of October 2020. This allows three years to obtain resource consents and construct any necessary infrastructure before the current consent expiry date in 2023.

On-going investigations

The Council will be reporting regularly to the community working party and the Akaroa/Wairewa Community Board on scientific and engineering investigations into potential options for land disposal of treated wastewater.